] But there is one group of animals in which the peculiar
] combination of the contraction of these muscles and the
] closure of the glottis does serve a clear purpose:
] primitive air breathers that still possess gills, such as
] lungfish, gar and many amphibians.

Interesting. That also offers some explination as to why you get them when you are excited. Triggering when you need more oxygen. Shrug.

Hiccups a holdover from when we had gills